Pop Culture Pays Homage to Iconic 'Breakfast Club' Moments

2015 marks the 30th Anniversary year of the John Hughes '80s movie classic, The Breakfast Club. Although the movie may seem a bit dated to teenagers today, it made a huge impact on society and culture when it was released.

Most of The Breakfast Club is filmed and set in one specific place, the detention room. Filming took place in an actual school gymnasium which the movie studio then turned into a library.

The main theme of the film is the constant struggle of the American teenager to be understood, by adults and by themselves. It explores the pressures teenagers face to fit into their own high school social constructs.

That act of defiance and whimsy left a lasting impression. The dancing on the tables scene is a quintessential pop culture moment that is often imitated now as a nod to the Breakfast Club gang.

Raise Your Fist In The Air!

Another memorable moment in The Breakfast Club was when Judd Nelson's character, John Bender, walks across the football field and thrusts his fist into the air. Bender got the girl, made new friends, and pretty much had an awesome time.

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People connected emotionally to that moment. It was a sign of fighting authority, a triumphant symbol of Bender's character.

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That freeze-frame moment in the movie has now become an iconic part of pop culture. It is reenacted in TV shows today as a symbol of victory and an homage to Bender's "screw you" attitude.

Bender has inspired teenage style from the '80s to the present day, making plaid a perennial in fashion.

"Don't You Forget About Me" (Don't worry. We won't.)

30 years later and the dialogue-heavy, conversation piece from John Hughes still holds up. From Family Guy to Pitch Perfect, pop culture still references this iconic '80s movie.

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How is this movie still able to resonate with every generation of teenagers? Actress Molly Ringwald, who played the rich girl/princess Claire Standish, summed it up best in a recent interview with The Daily Beast:

"It’s the universal feeling that we all are alone—that we’re all different. I think the movie’s one resounding theme is that everybody feels the same, and we’re all alone together."

Those universal themes of alienation and bonding are why The Breakfast Club will be cherished forever. Check out the supercut video from Today.com and see which of your pop culture favorites have paid tribute to the Brat Pack.